


Checkmate, My Love

by juminswhore



Category: Mystic Messenger (Video Game)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-10
Updated: 2020-05-10
Packaged: 2021-03-02 20:26:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,365
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24112765
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/juminswhore/pseuds/juminswhore
Summary: A quick insight of Jihyun's and MCs relationship and how they've moved on and grown together. They're engaged and in love, things couldn't get better. Post forgive-ending. A brief opener of Rika's thoughts and feelings, and how their relationship has changed both her and Jihyun.
Relationships: Jihyun/MC, Jihyun/Reader, V | Kim Jihyun & Main Character, V | Kim Jihyun/Reader, V/MC, V/Reader
Comments: 14
Kudos: 89





	Checkmate, My Love

There was something painful about watching the person you thought was the love of your life fall in love with someone else. It was like being backstabbed yet you knew it was coming. 

Rika could hardly focus when she heard the news. She knew it was happening yet it still came as a shock. It was like cold ice ran down her spine, freezing her in her tracks. She almost couldn’t believe it. She and V had long parted, yes. They said their goodbyes long ago. She had watched him walk away knowing they’d never speak another word to one another. Yet, it was still mind thwarting to see evidence of him taking such a big step in another direction. One that was away from her.

It was hard. Even if they had long fallen out of love, it was like a piece of her had been wretched out of her arms. They had spent so much time together. They spent years together. They had  _ grown _ together.

There was a time when she thought she found her home with him. She thought she belonged within the space of his arms. Against his chest, the sound of his heartbeat a steady rhythm to her life. That their futures were intertwined together; that they were going to be a pair forever. 

Yet, here she was. Alone. And him? He was now engaged. It was official. They were going to get  _ married _ . Spend a life together happy and in love. They’d tackle life’s issues, live in a home of their very own, and create a beautiful family if they so desired. 

No, she wasn’t mad, or sad, or even hurt. The woman who would be his wife was one of the nicest people she’d ever met. She couldn’t hate her. Even if it would be easier, Rika couldn’t find a reason to dislike her. 

She couldn’t blame V for falling in love with her. She was like a miracle from heaven, truly. They deserved to be happy. 

In a way, though, it made Rika feel out of place. She tried her best to keep in touch with what was going on with the RFA members; she couldn’t help it, she still cared about them, still had love for them. Oddly enough,  _ she _ was the one who was the most friendly out of them all. Every now and then she’d check up on her or congratulate her on her current projects. It was comforting to know someone as kind as her was with V. 

She didn’t know the details, but the announcement of their engagement quickly made its way to her and now the woman had posted photos. They looked so happy, so in love. She knew she should congratulate them, but in a way she didn’t want to. She knew she wasn’t thinking straight, but she couldn’t help the way she felt. 

It was heartbreaking in a way.

Their chapter was closed and he had moved on, but she couldn’t find the strength to yet. He now started a new career and went by his real name. She did her own thing, but it was hard to let go of the past. And so, she tried her best to keep herself busy. If she could find herself too, perhaps she would also get her happily-ever-after. 

* * *

The young woman stood over the counter chopping vegetables. Music played quietly in the background; she was entirely lost in her own thoughts. She had yet to turn around and notice his presence. He had come into the kitchen after finishing his work, planning on washing his hands off, to find her peacefully busy. 

If you listened hard enough, you could hear her singing quietly with the music. Her hair was tied loosely out of her face and the noise of the knife against the cutting board overpowered her gentle voice. Jihyun leaned against the island, his head propped in the palm of his hand. 

It was peaceful to sit and watch her. They’d just moved in together in an entirely new place. It was in the countryside and spacious enough for them to live in for the rest of their lives. He had gotten rid of most of his stuff from his old life, and so had she. Together, they started over. 

She, dressed in her faded apron, was the prettiest sight to him. He could paint her portrait a thousand times and he would never be able to capture her beauty perfectly. Even the most ordinary aspects of her were stunning to him. 

Some might look at them strangely if they knew their story, but Jihyun found it lovely. Who would have known that the girl who stumbled into his life, his troublesome situation, would become the love of his life? It’d be exactly three years ago in just a couple months. Three years ago she fell victim to a situation she didn’t belong in. Yet, she hadn’t turned away. She played the game. Even after, when he dropped out, she continued. She took his place and won. Never once did she play dirty; she was kind and loving and innocent. For this, he admired her.

For two years he was gone, but his heart remained with her and hers with his. He knew the moment he saw her face-to-face after those two years that this was it. The way his heart tightened and raced, the way he felt more like himself than ever by her side; there was no doubt it was love. It was as if a switch flipped within him when he met her. 

He’d dreamt of her for two years, and now that he was with her, truly, it almost felt surreal. He woke up beside her, fell asleep with her in his arms, he combed her hair, he washed her clothes. . . he  _ lived _ with her. As a person. He grew and changed and lived a meaningful life all with her beside him. Her never ending support, kind heart, and endless love. He almost felt spoiled. She was more than he’d ever dreamt of. 

No, he wouldn’t say she’s perfect. She had her faults, her moments, and yes, they disagreed from time to time, but he loved her all the more for those things. He couldn’t imagine her being any different. Even on their bad days, he was no less in love with her than on their good ones. 

It’d been almost a year since he returned to Korea, and now they were going to get married. The dainty ring on her finger symbolized so much more to him than she’d ever realize. More than anyone, in fact, would realize. It was the second finger he’d slipped a ring on, but these were polar opposite experiences. It felt like two different lifetimes. Two different  _ hims _ . 

The time before, it felt more forced, more factual. More, ‘this was going to happen’ not ‘I want this to happen’. 

This time, it was so exciting. He had sat on the idea for days. He even went to his best friend, Jumin, for advice. He found that his friend knew far more about romance than he expected since he had very minimal experiences. They even went to look at rings together. The thought of proposing wasn’t nerve wracking, but he still felt the pitter patter of his heart stir when he held the little box in his hand. 

The ring wasn’t much. It wasn’t grand or big or even exceptionally beautiful. It was simple but pretty. It was innocent looking. No, it wasn’t what he had in mind, but when he saw it he just  _ knew _ it was the one. 

It was like the perfect representation of their relationship. Peaceful, gentle, innocent, simple, yet so breathtaking and admirable. 

Any person could look at her and see a normal young woman, but him, he saw her as the strong, wonderfully minded woman she is. Her heart was so gentle, her mind so strong. She was someone Jihyun was so thankful and proud of. He was so grateful for her. How blessed he felt to be loved so strongly by someone like her.

He stood and stretched. Hours of tending to his projects left his body in a position that didn’t favor his aching muscles. He rolled his slumped shoulders back and flexed his fingers before taking three long strides to her. She had set the knife down and was pouring the diced vegetables into a large pan. They quickly began to sizzle and she turned the knob down, lowering its heat. Jihyun snaked his arms around her middle, pulling her into him, resting his chin on her shoulder. He closed his eyes for a brief second, relishing in her scent and warmth. She brought a hand up to graze the side of his face, letting out a breathless laugh.

“Are you done for the night?” she asked. “Dinner should be ready in about fifteen.”

He released her gently, just enough for her to turn around and look at him. 

The window above the sink had long darkened, the sun had set and now left them in the glow of the lights above the stove. He reached over to pull the curtains closed. She reached for a wooden spoon, stirring the vegetables. Both still kept an arm around one another. 

Jihyun let her go to briefly wash his hands, scrubbing the dried paint off with carefulness. She quietly returned to cooking dinner. 

“I can’t wait,” he said, turning to lean against the counter. 

“Me neither. It’s a new recipe so hopefully it’ll be good,” she said with a smile. She tapped the spoon against the pan’s rim and set it in its holder. She rested her hands against his chest, her fingers drumming happily. The two of them buzzed in happiness, both equally, quietly content. 

“Tomorrow you’re going dress shopping, right? With Jaehee?” he asked. 

She nodded before sliding her hands around to his back, embracing him loosely. With her cheek resting against his chest, she listened to his heartbeat. She could feel its steady rhythm thumping heavily; the sound and feel was heavenly to her. 

Sometimes it was hard to believe he was really there. After those two years it became heart-stopping to hear his voice, feel his skin, seeing him in the flesh and blood. Every now and then they’d have a moment. A moment where they broke from their routines, their normal lives, and just remembered how far they’d come. How lucky they were. How incredible it was to be able to look into each other’s eyes, sleep against them, and hear them talking, breathing, and simply  _ living. _

Her footsteps and sleeping breaths were music to his ears; Jihyun loved the very presence she was. It was. . . life changing.  _ She _ was life changing. He’d wake up before her, the sunshine spilling into their bedroom, she’d be tangled up in the bed sheets that were long stolen from him in the night, her quiet breaths filling the space between them, and he’d lay there, thinking. Thinking about how and where’d he might’ve been at the very moment if he never met her. 

Would he still have been toggling between the RFA and Magenta? Would he and Rika gotten back together or would they have destroyed each other? Would he have finally told the RFA members the truth? 

He didn’t know.

What he did know, though, is that without her, he would’ve been a very exhausted, depressed man. 

No, she didn’t fix his problems, but she gave him the strength he hadn’t known he needed. Without her, who knows what could’ve become of him, Rika, and everybody else?

“I can’t wait to see you in a wedding dress,” Jihyun said, raking a hand through her hair. He fiddled with a strand of her hair. 

“Eight more months,” she murmured, blissfully distracted by his touch. 

“I waited two years for you, I can wait eight more months before you’re my wife.” Jihyun kissed the top of her head slowly, his hands on her forearms. Lifting up, he turned and reached over to the stove, clicking it off. At the sound, she popped up. 

“Oh! I completely forgot,” she said, releasing him. She tended to the food quickly, her mind now focused on it. Jihyun brought a hand to his face, his lips resting against a knuckle. He bit back a laugh. 

“Let me help,” he said, taking a plate from her hands. 

The two of them busied quickly, preparing for their dinner. They decided it was a more casual night, one where they ate at the island, the light above turned on, and the music still dim in the background. They shared laughter and talked about their current events. 

It was. . normal. 

And when they finished, they went to the dining room where the table was set with puzzles and paint instead of plates and bowls. They sat side by side, both dressed in their night clothes. 

“I think you should change that pink to a red,” Jihyun said, pointing at the puzzle in front of her. 

“I was going to do red originally, but don’t you think pink will look better?” she asked, head in hand.

“Mm,” he hummed thoughtfully, drumming his fingers against his chin. “Maybe, but you’ll have to do some other light colors as well. The pink will be too distracting. We should focus on the picture as a whole.”

She cracked a smile. Even if he was critiquing her choices, she couldn’t help but feel a tickle. His eyes shone when he talked about art. He glowed. He was in a trance. 

He was. .happy.

“We should let it dry and start again tomorrow,” Jihyun said. It was late and tiredness had begun to seep through them both. They began their nightly routine and sunk into their bed, curling up against each other instinctively. 

By now, they knew each other like the back of their own hands. Their bodies fit together, their warmth mixing. They were a pair that fell into each other’s arms, knowing the other would catch them.

They were in love. Hopelessly in love. And there was nothing, no one that could break their tie.


End file.
